It is a question I have asked myself a lot recently. Was it worth it? It seemed stupid. It was just a thought experiment devised by some crazy unicorn. It was meant to be some free bits and let me live on easy street for the rest of my life. I didn't really think it would work.
Now here I am… the Immortal Queen, ruling over my kingdom of dust and ash. Sitting on my chair, to gaze out at a red sun. And then I hear it. The sound that brought me so much fear during those early years. That tiny sound of slivering. The sound of the snail I had spent so much effort trying to keep contained. Now, looking at the small creature, I can only give a small smile.
“So how long has it been this time?”
…
I hum at the snail before turning my gaze back towards the red dawn.
“I used to fear you. I used to spend every waking hour in fear that you would reach me in my sleep, or catch me in the Bathroom” I chuckle mirthlessly. “Now I’m just happy to see you.”
…
“It's just me now since we last saw each other. It turns out not even Celestia and Luna made it this far.”
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“Should have seen Celestia’s funeral. It was something I won’t ever soon forget. I-*sniff* I believe it was the first time I’d cried. As in actually cried in…in I don’t really know how long.”
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“Then Luna’s cries… those cries. I tried to console her. I tried to be there for her. But it didn't mean anything.”
…
I look back towards the snail once more, it having only slightly moved since I began my retelling.
“Why did I do it?”
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“I don’t really know anymore… I can remember every aspect of that day perfectly. The morning where I woke up lying on the floor, my hooves splayed out in directions some ponies would call unnatural. I remember the smell of the fresh manehattan air wafting into my apartment through the open window. I can even remember reading the birthday card my sister had sent me.
*Happy Birthday sis! I hope this arrives on the date as otherwise, that would make me look so incredibly dumb I would have no choice but to come and visit you myself to apologize. But anyway all of us here wish you a very happy birthday and a wonderful day out there in the big city!*
I can remember every minute detail on that card. Every single detail except for the most important one. Do you know what detail that is?”
I look back towards the Red Giant.
“Their faces. No matter how hard I wrack my brain, those memories are simply lost to me. Yet I can still remember the moment I went: sure why not, its free bits, what could possibly go wrong. Heh, I was really naive back then. All it took was just the promise of bits back then and you had me hook line and sinker.
Who would have known what he was offering was true? A million bits and immortality all for the price of having you chase me with the promise of a painful death should you catch me.”
…
“Yeah, I was pretty cocky back then huh? I should have expected that Jar trick to fail”
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“Okay so the salt in said jar was a mighty bit cruel but hey, you can't blame me for trying. It was all just harmless fun before then. A simple thought experiment where you could laugh at your friend’s stupid decisions and poke holes into their ‘foolproof’ plans to trap you permanently!”
…
I giggled “ The look on their faces when I told them it happened to me was priceless… even if I can't remember what those faces looked like before.”
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“No… they were good friends. The first of many.”
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“Well, what else would a mare do with a million bits and immortality? I did everything. I built a corporate Empire and made more money than I knew what to do with. And then when that got boring, I went traveling. I helped the griffons into a new golden age because I wanted to. I united the Zebra tribes because I wanted to see if it could be done. And I locked you in a ball of tungsten at the bottom of the Celestial sea so that I wouldn't need to worry about you. But I still did!”
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“I looked over my shoulder constantly! I spent millions of bits on Equipment and ponies to monitor this random ball at the bottom of the sea! And you still got out eventually.”
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“Yeah… I did drive my family crazy. As much as I think they did the same to me. Heh *sniff* My sister was still such a prankster, even as a kooky old mare.”
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“She almost scared me half to death the last time I saw her alive. She said she had a present for me, and when I opened it there was a single snail inside.”
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“I think my scream shattered glass. It was only once I heard her weak laughing did I calm down…”
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“Got you. That was the last thing she ever said to me. A Prankster to the end.”
I turn back towards the snail, its unrelenting pace towards me now halfway complete.
“No, I won’t tell you about all the other jokes she performed on me. That's just something you’ll have to figure out for yourself.”
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“I did hide it, for a while. Do you know how easy it is to get a new identity back then? All I had to do was hand over some bits and poof. A New mare with a reasonable age was born.”
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“Well I wasn't hiding it from my friends and family was I? I was terrified of Celestia, Luna, Twilight, and Cadence finding out about me.”
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“Yes yes, you don't have to tell me how irrational that was as well. I already got enough of an earful of that when I first told them.”
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“Oh don’t even get me started on Twilight actually you know what don’t get me started on any of them. They were good to me. I don’t want to taint my memories about them. They were a second family to me.”
The air was beginning to get slightly hotter against my dusty fur.
“I’ve had several families. I’ve loved so many stallions and spoiled so many many grandchildren over the years.”
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“Of course I loved them! What kind of question is that?! I loved every single one of my Husbands. Every second without them was agony to me. And it never hurt any less when they passed and I remained young.”
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“I know. I should have listened to them. But I didn’t. I kept doing it to myself. I kept opening my heart knowing I would just blink and their bodies would be buried and their life was complete.”
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“What about my children?!” I snarled back towards the snail. “I gave them everything. They all had wonderful lives and wonderful families. I made sure that they wouldn’t have to worry about anything! They never went hungry, they went to the best schools and they all achieved their dreams!”
I once again look back towards the ever-growing sun.
“None of that matters now though.” I stand up from my chair as the temperature begins to rise. “They're all gone now. My friends, my family… every living being on Equis save for me and you.” I smile as I approach the snail slowly.
“I’ve lived my life. I found success, I found friends, love, and children.”
…
“You don’t need to say anything more. Well, you haven't said much of anything.”
I can feel the hot wind beginning to press against my side, the dust around me getting flung back. I look towards the snail that I had feared for so long and smile. It has followed me for so long and now it's time for our time together to end.
“So what do you say, old friend?”
I reach out my hoof, a smile on my face and a lone tear sliding down my face as the temperature begins to rise exponentially, the bang of the sound barrier breaking to my side signaling the end.
“Was it worth it?” Asked the snail.
“I like to think.” I look back towards the red corona of the Sun flying towards us. “It was.”